Common Problems

Common Problems

Quality Pediatric Dental & Orthodontic Care in Chapel Hill, NC

At Clifton & Mauney Pediatric Dental & Orthodontic Care, our mission is to help our patients grow and develop smiles that they'll feel proud to show off for the rest of their lives. We take a holistic, birds eye-view approach to dental care and orthodontic treatment, designing personalized treatment plans for each patient that help them achieve a healthy smile in the long-term. Our doctors and highly trained team of orthodontic specialists have years of experience helping kids throughout the Chapel Hill area develop healthy smiles, and we've developed the knowledge and experience to make every visit to our office a pleasant experience. We're proud to utilize the latest orthodontic technology at our office, and we're well equipped to treat even the most severe malocclusions (orthodontic problems) – but thankfully, most patients have some variant of the common issues listed below, and treating each of these is a standard, day-to-day procedure for us.

Common Orthodontic Problems & Reasons for Braces

Underbite

Formed when the lower jaw extends too far out past the upper jaw, an under bite causes the lower front teeth to sit outside the upper, affecting both the look and function of the smile.

Crossbite

Crossbite occurs when the lower teeth sit on the outside of the upper teeth. This can cause tooth stratification and improper jaw growth and alignment, which can create major problems later in life.

Protruding Upper Front Teeth

This happens when the upper front teeth extend too far out over the lower teeth or slant outwards too far. We'll often elect to use interceptive treatment in these cases, as this protects the upper front teeth from an increased risk of trauma and damage.

Overbite

The opposite of underbite, this occurs when the upper jaw extends too far out over the lower front teeth. In extreme cases, this may cause the lower front teeth to bite into the roof of the mouth.

Crowding

The most common reason for braces, crowding develops when the dental arch doesn't have enough room to support the teeth. In addition to causing aesthetic issues, crowding can make teeth harder to clean and put them at increased risk of decay.

Spacing

Spacing is the opposite of crowding, marked by large gaps between the teeth. This may be caused by missing teeth or be a simple cosmetic issue.

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Openbite

In an openbite, the upper and lower front teeth fail to meet and overlap. Often, this is caused by early childhood habits like prolonged thumb sucking or tongue thrusting. Openbite is best corrected through interceptive orthodontic treatment.

Mismatched Dental Midlines

In this malocclusion, the back bite fails to match up and fit together properly. This can impair jaw growth and development as well as the function of the bite.

Contact Your Pediatric Orthodontist in Chapel Hill, NC

If you think that you or your child might be suffering from one or multiple of these problems, don't worry – they're all exceedingly common and simple to treat. W

e've been helping children throughout the Chapel Hill area develop beautiful smiles for years, and we would be thrilled to do the same for your child. Feel free to call us at 919-933-1007 with any questions about oral health, our practice, or any aspect of orthodontic treatment, or go ahead and reach out to us at our contact page. If you'd like to bring your child in for an appointment, you can request one online at our Chapel Hill office. We can't wait to hear from you!